Script Reader Pro published an official list in 2017 of 50 movie screenplays available to download for free online (click here for the full list), and now the company has done the exact same thing for television screenplays. In an attempt to help aspiring screenwriters learn how to write television spec scripts, Script Reader has made 50 screenplays for television episodes and pilots available for free online.
The scripts are broken into five categories (drama, comedy, action/adventure, thriller, and horror) and cover all formatting options, including single-camera, multi-camera, half-hour, one-hour, network, and cable series.
“If you want to learn how to write for TV, reading these TV pilot scripts is one of the best ways to help boost your writing ability,” Script Reader’s introduction reads. “You will learn how to establish the characters in a pilot, set up the world of the show and all about TV pilot structure. Most importantly, study these TV scripts in order to discover how to create a sense of intrigue that will make a reader want to know what happens in the next episode.”
The full list of free screenplays by genre is below. The list includes shows as recent as Amazon’s “Jack Ryan,” plus favorites such as “Twin Peaks,” “24,” “Hannibal,” “Black Mirror,” and more. Click here to download each script via Script Reader Pro.
Drama
“Better Call Saul”
“Breaking Bad”
“ER”
“Godless”
“The Handmaid’s Tale”
“House of Cards”
“Mad Men”
“Orange is the New Black”
“This Is Us”
“The West Wing”
Comedy
“30 Rock”
“Arrested Development”
“Casual”
“Curb Your Enthusiasm”
“Family Guy”
“Frasier”
“Friends”
“Modern Family”
“New Girl”
“Parks and Recreation”
Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington, “Game of Thrones”
HBO
Action/Adventure
“Game of Thrones”
“24”
“Arrow”
“Gotham”
“Homeland”
“Jack Ryan”
“Lost”
“Sneaky Pete”
“Stranger Things”
“Vikings”
Thriller
“The Americans”
“The Blacklist”
“Black Mirror”
“Fargo”
“The Killing”
“The Looming Tower”
“The OA”
“Peaky Blinders”
“Scandal”
“The Sinner”
NBC
Horror
“American Horror Story”
“Bates Motel”
“Hannibal”
“Harper’s Island”
“Masters of Horror”
“Penny Dreadful”
“The Returned”
“Scream”
“Twin Peaks”
“The Walking Dead”
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What you’ll achieve: In this project-centered course*, you will design a series bible and write a complete pilot episode for your own unique television or web series, be it drama or comedy or something in between. You’ll learn to break down the creative process into components, and you’ll discover a structured process that allows you to produce a polished and pitch-ready script in just a few weeks. Completing this project will increase your confidence in your ideas and abilities, and you’ll feel prepared to pitch your first script and get started on your next. This is a course designed to tap into your creativity and is based in 'Active Learning'. Most of the actual learning takes place within your own activities - that is, writing! You will learn by doing.'Thank you so much for your direct way of teaching this course. It was encouraging for us all to creatively flow and find our own voice in writing and developing our scripts. This aspect was very important to me.' IngridThe course curriculum is simple: you’ll write, revise your work, and share feedback with your peers. I am a proponent of Experiential Learning (active learning). My lectures are short (sometimes just two minutes long) and to the point, designed in a step-by-step process essential to your success as a script writer. I will guide you but I won’t 'show' you how to write. I firmly believe that the only way to become a writer is to write, write, write.“David's lecture style for this course is inspired. The videos are succinct and engaging. When I watch the lectures I feel David’s sincere desire for me to create something truly amazing. He is teaching us how to write a script, and he is providing wisdom and tools that will help us do so in a compelling way - by writing; not by watching him talk at us.” - A R AdamsonWhat you’ll need to get started:To begin with, any basic word processor will do. During week two, you can choose to download some free scriptwriting software such as Celtx or Trelby or you may choose to purchase Final Draft, or you can continue to use your word processor and do your own script formatting.Learner Review: 'I am in love with this course. Having never written a script before, or any substantive fiction since college (15 years ago) I had a small idea in my head that has now exploded into something I really believe in. David's guidance is spot on, he's his own compelling story teller, he gives you enough, and then you have to figure it out, make it happen, WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! '*About Project-Centered Courses: This is a ‘project-centered course’, which means it is designed specifically to help you complete a personally meaningful real-world project, with your instructor and a community of learners with similar goals providing guidance and suggestions along the way. By actively applying new concepts as you learn, you’ll master the course content more efficiently; you’ll also get a head start on using the skills you gain to make positive changes in your life and career. When you complete the course, you’ll have a finished project that you’ll be proud to use and share. Time: 1-2 hours of study, 30+ hours of active project work